New York Toy Fair 2017 The Blasterhub Awards
Here we are at the end, trying to sum up all the amazing toys on display. Why not end it with a list of the most impressive entries? Were going to focus on individual blasters here which deserve special attention.Best in Show Buzz Bee Toys Thermal Hunter
The entire Buzz Bee booth could be considered the best in show. They completely overhauled their darts. They came up with slick packaging. Best of all, Buzz Bee expanded the Air Warriors product line considerably. However, only one blaster could be picked, and the obvious choice was the Thermal Hunter.
It is a pump-action Sentinel. The PrecisePro darts provide enhanced accuracy at close range and total ranges up to 90. It can reach 100 with the other dart types. It also comes with a functional, infrared-based sight (working distance 50-60) as well as an adapter to use with rival blasters. It’s a Target exclusive.
Most Fun Nerf Rival Nemesis
Lets be honest most Nerf entries werent a surprise going into Toy Fair. It was the sheer joy of having 100 rounds to launch anywhere you wanted. This blasters ROF is great, but being able to sustain it is what makes the difference. You can’t help but smile when you see the blasts of fire bounce off of you, even when you are the target.
Although the price is high, it is well worth it.
Best New Prototype THREE WAY TIE
Zuru Xshot Turboadvance, Buzz Bee Rail Blaster, Diggin Slimeball Launcher
I found myself unable to put any of these blasters above the others, so Im going to feature all three. The Zuru blaster, while not functional here at Toy Fair, shows extensive potential in things like HvZ games. Forty rounds, split into groups of twenty, allowing on the fly reloading for one set while you fire from the other. This blaster is solid and medium-sized. It could be a great weapon if it performs well.
I encourage Zuru to have working models available for demo or testing at Nation v Zombies this summer.
Buzz Bee, meanwhile, has a great scavenging entry in the form of the Rail Blaster. Six shots in a tubular magazine, continual reloading, and the 100 potential ranges with Buzz Bees new darts? It’s easy to see why there is so much excitement. It doesn’t need to be your primary blaster, thanks to its small size. Rarely can you have a secondary capable of replacing your primary blaster.
Last but not least, Diggin Active’s Slimeball Launcher deserves my appreciation. It can launch Slimeball Tag projectiles as high as 50 feet.
Most NIC readers, however, will realize that there is hope for long range dart blasting. Buzz Bees Big Blast, Extreme Blastzooka and Nerfs Airtech have always enjoyed strong followings. With air blasters largely absent from Toy Fair this year, its great to see a solid design just begging to fire any size foam dart or missile. The Slimeballs can also be launched, which is what they were intended for.
All modifications are at your own risk. Manufacturers do not condone them.
Announcement Of The Actual Toy Of The Year Award
Although the majority of this post is based on my opinion, it would be wrong to disregard an actual award.
Zurus Bunch O Balloons won the TOTY for all Active/Outdoor Categories. They have seen huge worldwide sales and are well deserving. They were able to overcome legal challenges to their patents, so Bunch O Balloons sales can continue to outperform the rest of the water-drenching toys.
